Cotton-chopper



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. N. MOORE. COTTON CHOPPER.

Patented May 4, 1897.

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such as will enable others skilled in the art to .of the machine.

llNiTnn STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

JOHN NEALLY MOORE, OF TAYLOR, TEXAS.

COTTON-CHOPPER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,075, dated May 4,1897.

Serial No. 603,840. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that 1, JOHN NEALLY Moonn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Taylor, in the county of WVilliamson and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Choppers andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention,

which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in cotton-chopping machines 3 andthe objects thereof are to so construct the same that it will becheap,durable, have as few parts as practicable, and be easilyassembled.

WVith these objects in view my invention consists in the novelconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts and in the variousdetails thereof, as will first be pointed out in the specification andthen claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which likeletters of reference represent corresponding parts, Figure l is a planview of my improved cotton-chopper. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 4 is a view of aportion of the front frame carrying the gears, with a contrivance forthrowing the wheels out of gear. Fig. 5 is a view of the loop forattachment to the tongue and bar N to support the suspending device.Fig. 6 shows a suspending contrivance to be attached under the tongue.Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the suspending device in a differentposition. Fig. 7 is a similar view of a suspending device to besupported under the bar N. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing one ofthe main bars forming the frame Fig. 9 is a perspective view of asimilar bar. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a bar forming the axle ofthe machine. Fig. 11 is a view showing the machine arranged as acornstalk-cutter.

A represents a metallic frame-bar bent at right angles at its ends, andhaving the journal-bearings W formed in said ends. B is a bent barforming the arched axle of my machine, having compound bends at its endsso as to form the spindles N, which are to be thrust in oppositedirections through the perforations at XV in the extremities of A. (J isa bent frame-bar which engages with the frame-barA by means of boltspassingthrough the perforations F F in said bars. The three bars arethus bound together and form a stout economic frame for carrying thevarious parts of the machine.

The frame-bar A normally stands upright, 13 horizontal or nearly so, andO is revolved on the bolts at F F upward until its upper edge is 011 ornearly on a level with the horizontal portion of section A. v

M represents the tongue, having a slit m adapted to receive theframe-bar A, to which it is bolted by means of a pin P, passing throughperforations in said tongue and bar. The forward end of the tongue isfastened by a similar pin or bolt m to the frame-bar O.

N represents a brace connecting frame-bars A and C, so as toadditionally reinforce the same.

' A shaft 17 is journaled on frame 0 by means of metallic straps c. Thisshaft b carries two sets of beveled cog-wheels d and d and on itsextremity a sprocket-wheel K, which is actuated by chains from thesprocket-wheel 7t, mounted along with the carrying-wheel and on itsinside next the machine.

The sets of beveled cog-Wheels upon the shaft 7) engage with bevelcog-wheels (marked r r) on the extremities of short shafts, (marked ff,)their other ends being journaled on the edge of bar Oby means of strapso, and carrying on their extremities, beyond the bar 0, sprocket-wheelse e, which operate, by means of sprocket'chains 6 the sprocket-Wheels vi below the latter, revolving the shafts g g, on which are carried hoesor choppers h. The rear'ends of the shafts g g are journaled on theupper edge of the rear bar B by means of boxes 0, which permit oflateral adjustment of said shafts, and their forward ends are supportedby loops g Q for suspending the same under the tongue M and bar N. Theseloops are bent as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 and are provided with slots mto receive bolts y, said bolts having their heads narrower in onedirection than the other, so that they can be passed into the slots, andthen by turning them they are securely locked. The lower part of thebolt is screw-threaded, as at m, and a swivel-frame or turnbuckle a isadjusted upon it, which, being revolved upon the screw-threaded bolt, israised or depressed,

thus carrying up or down a box T, suspended to the same by a bolt 5. Theforward ends of shafts g and g are journaled in the boxes T and ofcourse are easily adjusted vertically by means of the same. Just abovethe box T a joint is provided in the bolt that connects the box T withthe swivel a. This joint is provided to allow the rear ends of theshafts g and g to be lifted or lowered, as hereinaf ter described.

'L0 and w are arms or braces entering slots 4.0 in bar 0, said slotsallowing lateral movement either way, the purpose of said arms being tobrace the supports or suspending devices. These arms may also beprovided with swivels to lengthen or shorten them, as required, when theswivels a are operated.

The shafts g g are constructed in the form of four-sided prisms withslots cut through them nearly from end to end and at right angles to oneanother.

The handles of the hoes are provided with spiral wire springs r to breakthe jar of the blow upon the ground and allow of automatic adjustment toany inequalities in the surface of the ground.

The hoe-handles are inserted in the slots shown and described in theshafts g g, and secured by suitable nuts r and washers 6 above and belowthe latter.

I is a contrivance for elevating and depressing the rear barB. Itconsists of a piece of timber recessed at both ends, the forward end ofwhich carries a lever 07. to which is attached a light chain at, and atits rear end is provided with an idler-pulley, over which passes thechain and is attached to the bar B at D.

To convert the cotton-chopping machine into one for cutting up deadcornstalks on the ground, the machine is dismantled of the shafts andpulleys and a combination of knives Z is placed in position, beingjournaled under the bar by means of straps f 15 on each of the threebars represents fishbars in sets of two clamping them. By looseningthese fish-bars a section can be removed from each bar, and by a jointin the shaft 1) a similar length of that shaft can be removed. By thismeans half the length of the machine, carrying one complete set ofshafts, wheels, and pulleys, with one of the shafts g carrying itsproportion of the hoes, can be removed. The remaining parts may bebrought together and firmly spliced into a compact machine, carrying asingle set of hoes, wit-h corresponding shafts and pulleys.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a contrivance for throwing the wheels out ofgear, so that the machine can be moved without actuating the hoes. A rod19 passes along parallel with rod 1), engaging loosely the shafts ff andalso engaging by offsets the shaft 1) at Z. The rod on the left is bentat right angles and made to cross shaft 1), engaging it on its passageand extending a few inches beyond. Near this end there is a cleat mfixed beneath the bar 0 and having in its end a recess m in which toseat a lever B. The lever B, being placed in position at m with the endof the rod at V, when operated by hand moves the rod 19 and also theshafts ff right or left, as desired. The bevel-wheels 0 areidler-wheelsintended merely to keep the wheels r and r in position. They restloosely upon the shaft 1) and are kept closed against the wheels 4" r bymeans of a spiral spring upon the shaft 1). The boxes in which arejournaled the shafts ff, seated upon the edge of the bar G, are soconstructed and provided with springs beneath that they follow thelateral movements of the rod 19, thus keeping the shafts f f always atright angles to the bar 0.

The wheels of my machine are attached in the usual manner, preferably bysplit pins, as shown in the drawings, but other suitable means may beemployed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with the mainframe thereof, of slotted shafts journaled therein, choppinghoesyieldingly supported in said slots, means for adjusting the shaftsvertically, and means for revolving the shafts from the-mainwheelcarrying shaft.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with the mainframe thereof, of hoe-carrying shafts journaled therein, hoes yieldinglysupported in said shafts, means for elevating and depressing the rearand forward ends of said shaft, and aseries of gearing to revolve thehoe-carrying shafts from the main drive-shaft.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with the mainframe thereof, of hoe-carrying shafts journaled therein, hoes carried bysaid shafts, gearing connected with said shaft and operated from themain driveshaft, slots in the forward member of the frame, bracesworking in said slots, adjustable boxes connected to said braces and tothe hoe-carrying shafts, and means for throwing the gearing into or outof operative position.

4. In a device of the class described, the

combination with the main frame thereof, of hoe-carrying shaftsjournaled therein, gearing connecting said shafts with the maindrive-shaft, means for throwing said gearing into or out of operativeposition, and means for separating the machine by detaching a section ofthe same by the fish-bars t and the jointed section in shaft 1), so asto reduce the number of operating members thereof. 5. In a device of theclass described, the combination with the main frame thereof, ofhoe-carrying shafts journaled therein, gearing connecting said shaftswith the main drive-shaft, means for throwing said gearing into or outof operative position, bracing means for the forward shaft, adjustingmeans for said bracing means, and springs encircling the handles of thehoes.

6. In a device of the class described, the the side of the frame andhaving connection combination with the main frame thereof, with saidangular rod bymeans of which the of hoe-carrying shafts journaledtherein, hoes machine may be thrown into or out of operayieldablysupported in said shafts, means for tive position.

5 elevating and depressing the rear and for- In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature 15 ward ends of said shafts, a series of gearinpresence of two witnesses. ing to revolve the hoe-carrying shafts fromJOHN NEALLY MOORE. the main drive-shaft, an angular rod jour- Vitnesses:naled in the forward end of the frame and H. E. VVILLsON,

o carrying gears, and a hand-lever hinged to P. O. WILLSON.

